Tiger Woods ‘expected’ at Hazeltine

• Davis Love III wants to see Tiger Woods at Hazeltine
• “He is expecting to make the team,” said Love
• Golfing world still awaiting Woods’ Masters decision

USA Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III believes Tiger Woods will put his golfing problems aside and be a part of Team USA next year.

Love, winner of the US PGA Championship in 1997, was congratulated by Woods on his appointment as captain last month and the 50-year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday that he expects to see the former world No.1 at Hazeltine.

He said: “He is expecting to make the team. He still has a good attitude and he’s working hard.

“I wouldn’t count him out quite yet” – Davis Love III

“We’re hoping to see him back soon. Right now, it’s Ryder Cup we’re talking about – he’s anxious about getting back to plan so he can get some points for the Presidents Cup and then get back to the Ryder Cup. I wouldn’t count him out quite yet.”

Tiger Woods has endured a troublesome 2015 so far, missing the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open after a career-worst round of 82 before withdrawing from the following week’s Farmers Insurance Open, citing back pain.

After the event, Woods released a statement on his website saying he was taking an indefinite break, claiming that his scores were ‘not acceptable for tournament golf’.

The 14-time major champion, who ruled himself out of consideration for the 2014 Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles last year, released a further statement earlier this month saying he wouldn’t be competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a competition he has won eight times, but hinted that he would be back for the Masters.

“I won’t return to the PGA Tour until my game is tournament ready and I can compete at the highest level,” Tiger Woods said. “I hope to be ready for the Masters, and I will continue to work hard preparing for Augusta.”

While talk of Woods making his return at the Masters has been fairly muted in recent weeks, the biggest hint yet that he will appear at Augusta came earlier this week, when Nike revealed its athletes’ clothing for the competition, which included the three-time Masters winner.

But two weeks away from the event, the golfing world is still awaiting a definite decision, so to call an event 18 months down the line would seem rather difficult.

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